Machu Picchu Things to Do Tips by Alain_Smeets

Everyone wants to see Machu Picchu in the first sunlight and there is no better place to see it then from the Inti Punku (the sun gate).

First you will see a lot of activity in the campsite, people with torches are breaking up their camp going to the toilet and fit their gear for the last time. Why so early in the morning? Well everybody wants to be there when the sun hits Machu Picchu.

All the companies get in line to get through that small gate to start the last walk towards the sun gate. From here you can see the sunrise over Machu Picchu. But don't run, just walk and if there are faster walkers that want to pass you, let them. You will arrive in time to see the sunrise and there is place enough to see the sunrise.

But remember, Machu Picchu can be covered in the mist, like it was covered in the mist of time. And already before the sunrise it's already light, so don't expect that Machu Picchu lights up when the sun rises. You will not be alone at the sun gate to see this happening.

Leave a Comment

Llaqtapata, means in the Quechua language the ”Town on the Hillside”, but this is a new name, nobody remembers anymore the old Inca name, it’s forgotten in time. These are the first ruins that we saw on our Inca Trail. Llaqtapata is located on a height of 2.600 metres and we see if from a distance. We are standing on 2.865 meters.

Llaqtapata dominates the Kusichaca valley and was in the Inca day most likely an administrative place also divided in the 3 classical parts. You have the religious area with the temples, the agricultural area and a living area. They received the goods from the jungle and transported them further towards Cusco. You can see clearly the ruins and terraces from this distance

Leave a Comment

The name Sayaqmarka means ”Inaccessible Town”. You will see Sayaqmarka when you are descending the Trail from the Second Pass. When you approach the bottom of the valley, you will have to go up a small steep Inca stair to reach Sayaqmarka. Nothing for me with my fear of heights, but I can manage it foot by foot and very easy. Going down takes me even longer. It’s located at a height of 3685 metres.

In Sayaqmarka there are about 25 rooms, 4 fountains and some aqueducts. Archaeologists found here dry provisions and this means that Sayaqmarka was an administrative place where the provisions where gathered and send further down the road. When you look careful, you see here 4 Inca trails that all come together, these are coming from the highlands, the high jungle, the low jungle and from Machu Picchu.

From Sayaqmarka you have a very good view over the surrounding valley but the weather today is very changeable, one minute we are in the burning sun and the next minute we see the mist and clouds covering the whole valley. It’s a strange game between the sun and the clouds and this makes that the scenery changes the whole time.

Leave a Comment

Puyapatamarca, means City upon the clouds in Quechua and it’s close after the Third Pass. From here you can see the River Urubamba. Puyapatamarka is fascinating for its circular walls and the finely engineered aqueduct system which still provides spring water to the ancient ceremonial baths.

And the trail offers here a great view for the hiker, you will see huge steps, it’s a stone stairway almost a half mile long. It goes into the high jungle vegetation. And one remarkable fact is that this part of the track was only discovered in 1984. Until then they used a modern footpath to connect the interrupted sections of the Inca paths.

It’s located on a height of 3530 metres.

Leave a Comment

There is a Inca tunnel on the Inca trail. You see the trail disappearing in a tunnel that is dug throughout a solid rock. Now these days we have a lot of sophisticated tools to do this kind of work, but the Inca’s used their simple tools to create this 20 metres long tunnel.

You well get in this tunnel before you reach the Third Pass and you will see why they made that tunnel here. There is simply no other way to get further with this track because that solid rock is blocking the path.

Leave a Comment

Wiñawayna or Forever Young is the name of an important archaeological ruin near Machu Picchu. It’s located on a height of 2.700 metres.

Wiñawayna was discovered by Paul Fejos in 1941, and subsequently in 1942 the Peruvian scholar Julio C. Tello baptized the site as "Wiñaywayna" (Forever Young) after the Quechua name of an orchid specie (Epidendrum crassilabium).

In Wiñaywayna there are different kind of buildings, one of them is the upper semicircular one that is traditionally known as the "palace" or the "tower", it’s partially built with carved stones. Towards the right-hand side of the descending stairway there are 10 successive ritual fountains. Every important settlement has these ritual fountains. Towards the north you will see the farming sector with a large amount of human-made terraces.

The orchids (Epidendrum genus) that give their name at the ruins has more or less 20 species of white, red, yellow or violet flowers in the area around the trail. It’s a beautiful flower.

Leave a Comment